Apple is reportedly preparing to unveil its next-generation Apple TV 4K on October 13 as part of a major new push into the smart home market.
The launch would mark the first Apple TV hardware update since 2022 and follows months of leaks suggesting a new model has been nearing release.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to announce a new Apple TV alongside its long-awaited smart home hub and an updated HomePod mini on October 13.
The new Apple TV is expected to retain a design broadly similar to the current model while receiving significantly upgraded internal hardware.
A faster processor is expected to provide the performance needed for Siri AI and other Apple Intelligence capabilities.
Previous reports and references discovered in Apple software have pointed to an A17 Pro-class chip, although more recent leaks have also raised the possibility of newer A19-generation hardware.
The exact processor therefore remains uncertain ahead of Apple’s announcement.
The new Apple TV is also expected to use Apple’s own wireless networking technology, potentially improving Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread connectivity.
That would be particularly relevant to Apple’s wider smart home strategy, where Apple TV already functions as a Home hub for automations, Matter accessories, and remote access.
A refreshed Siri Remote has also been rumored, although details about how the remote might change remain limited.
The most significant upgrade may ultimately be software rather than the physical Apple TV hardware.
Apple’s new Siri AI is expected to play a central role across the company’s next generation of home products, with faster processors allowing more intelligence to run directly on the devices.
The timing would place the new Apple TV at the center of an unusually busy October for Apple.
The company is reportedly planning to introduce its first dedicated smart home display on the same day, while iPhone Duo pre-orders begin October 16 and the device launches October 23.
Apple recently dropped another apparent hint that a fourth-generation Apple TV 4K is coming when a support document began referring to Apple TV 4K models of the “3rd generation or later.”
Leaked Apple material has also previously referenced an “Apple TV 4K (4th generation).”
Apple increased the starting U.S. price of the current Apple TV 4K to $199 earlier this year, making the price of the new model one of the biggest remaining questions.
Apple hasn’t commented on Bloomberg’s report.
If October 13 is accurate, customers won’t have much longer to wait to see Apple’s first new Apple TV hardware in four years.